Dhaka, Oct. 3 -- The Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard have rescued 39 people, including women and children, from the deep hills of Teknaf in Cox's Bazar, where they had been gathered for smuggling to Malaysia.

Two suspected human smugglers were detained during the raid.

Lt Commander M Mohaieminul Haque Mahim, contingent commander of the Navy, said the operation was carried out at Kachhapia hills in the early hours of Friday.

Among those rescued were 18 Rohingya women, 11 Rohingya men, eight Rohingya children and two Bengali nationals.

The identities of the two detainees could not be confirmed immediately.

Officer Mahim said: "A criminal gang had confined a number of women and children in the hills with the intention of trafficking the...